Wednesday 1 October 2014

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Asian Games: Pakistan face arch-rivals India in hockey final today

Posted:

INCHEON (AFP) - Arch-rivals India and Pakistan face off in a mouth-watering field hockey final at the Asian Games on Thursday with a place in the 2016 Olympics at stake.Millions of fans in both nations will be glued to their television screens for the title clash which earns the winner a ticket to Rio de Janeiro and the loser left facing a hazardous qualification route.India and Pakistan last met in an Asiad final way back at New Delhi in 1982 where the Indians suffered a stunning 1-7 rout in front of their hown fans that included then prime minister Indira Gandhi.In Beijing in 1990 when Pakistan claimed the gold and India the silver, there was no final since the winner was decided after a round-robin league.Eight-time Olympic champions India have won the Asiad title just twice, both in the Thai capital of Bangkok in 1966 and 1998.In contrast, defending champions Pakistan are the most successful team in the continental games with eight golds, highlighted by four successive wins over India in a final from 1970 to 1982.Pakistan, coached by former international Shahnaz Sheikh, start as favourites following their 2-1 win over India in the preliminary league.But Sheikh was worried by the failure of his strikers to score against Malaysia in Tuesdays semi-final which ended in a 0-0 draw before Pakistan edged ahead 6-5 in the tie-breaker.We played better than them but just could not score, said Sheikh, a former striker hismelf. We dont want to make the same mistake again.Fans love an India-Pakistan game. I am sure the final will be exciting.India upset hosts South Korea 1-0 in the semi-final through Akashdeep Singhs 44th minute winner, but face a tougher test against Pakistans goalkeeper Imran Butt, the star of the shoot-out win against Malaysia.The Indians, coached by Australian Terry Walsh, will also bank on reliable goalie P. R. Sreejesh to block the Pakistani forwards as star midfielder and captain Sardar Singh attempts to control the game upfront.The final is a very important game for our young side, said Walsh. There was a lot of energy shown against the Koreans but we must seize the chances that come our way.South Korea and Malaysia will contest the bronze medal play-off ahead of the final.

Football: Lame Liverpool become Basel's latest victims

Posted:

BASEL (AFP) - Liverpool became the latest English club to fall victim to FC Basel as the Swiss side triumphed 1-0 in their Champions League Group B clash at the St Jakob-Park on Wednesday.In the last three years, Basel have beaten Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in European competition and won home and away against Chelsea, and on this occasion a solitary, scrappy goal in the 52nd minute from captain Marco Streller inflicted a damaging defeat on Brendan Rodgerss side.A tenacious Basel team were worthy winners, even if they were left hanging on at times as they tired in the closing stages, and the Swiss champions indicated that they must still be taken seriously in the group as they bounced back from a 5-1 thumping at the hands of Real Madrid two weeks ago.But Liverpool, having already struggled to beat Bulgarian rookies Ludogorets Razgrad 2-1 at Anfield, must now be dreading a double-header with the defending European champions in which they will put their prospects of reaching the last 16 on the line.The goal we conceded was far too soft and it is not the first one, said a frustrated Rodgers.When you concede a soft goal like that it is difficult, away from home against a side who have a good record against English teams.In contrast, Basel coach Paulo Sousa hailed another famous night in his clubs recent European history.It is a big victory for all of us against a historic club lilke Liverpool and the players they have, said the Portuguese.It was a perfect evening.The Reds, through the pace of Raheem Sterling and Lazar Markovic in particular, set themselves up to try and hit their hosts on the counter-attack, and Sterling had an effort disallowed for offside in the third minute.However, a lively Basel had taken only 21 seconds to force the games first corner and were not unsettled by the loss of their Swedish left-back Behrang Safari to injury with only nine minutes on the clock, even if Sousa responded by switching to a three-man defence as he sent on the Paraguayan winger Derlis Gonzalez.Streller had a shot deflected wide before Mohamed Elneny forced a save out of Simon Mignolet with a curling strike from the edge of the area.Mignolet was also called into action to deny Geoffroy Serey Die after the Ivorian had cut inside both Jose Enrique and Dejan Lovren inside the box, before the visitors finally livened up in the final 10 minutes of the half.Nevertheless, with Mario Balotelli wasteful, they did not seriously test Tomas Vaclik in the Basel goal, the Czech saving comfortably from a Sterling shot and a Lovren header.Rodgers must have had strong words for his players at the interval but they did not have the desired effect.Instead, Liverpool were fortunate not to concede a penalty when Sterling appeared to haul down Gonzalez in the box and then required Mignolet to come to their rescue again with a save from Ahmed Hamoudi after Elnenys pass had cut open the defence.But Basel opened the scoring from the corner that followed as Liverpools well-documented defensive problems were laid bare once again.When Taulant Xhakas ball in from the right was deflected goalwards, Mignolet did well to save, but Streller was quickest to react to the loose ball, scrambling it over the line.It was no less than Sousas men deserved for their efforts, although they were almost pegged back within five minutes, Fabian Schaer making a vital block to deny Markovic in the box.Balotelli then finally showed a glimpse of his quality from a viciously struck 35-yard free kick that was boxed away by Vaclik before Markovics follow-up was deflected behind.Sterlings poor touch saw him squander another chance while Balotelli had a goal ruled out for offside as Liverpool limped to a worrying defeat and extended their sluggish start to the season.

Golf: McIlroy voted US PGA Tour Player of Year

Posted:

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Back-to-back major titles, with a World Golf Championships crown tossed in for good measure, saw Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy voted the US PGA Tours Player of the Year by his peers.The award was announced on Wednesday, and 25-year-old McIlroy spoke on a conference call from St. Andrews about winning the award for the second time in three years.He joined 14-time major champion Tiger Woods, Australias Greg Norman and Zimbabwes Nick Price as the only multiple winners of the award since it was introduced in 1990.Its a very important honor for players to be voted Player of the Year by your peers, said McIlroy, who is coming off an inspiring series of performances in Europes successful defence of the Ryder Cup last weekend.Theyre the guys that youre trying to beat week-in, week-out, and the other guys see you put the hard work in, and to know that they appreciate what youve put into it and how well that youve played, its a great honor -- and a great honor to win twice in the space of three years.Hopefully I can win it for many more years to come, he added.McIlroys season was unspectacular until he came alive at the British Open, where he led wire to wire and finish two strokes clear of Spains Sergio Garcia and American Rickie Fowler.He followed that up with his first WGC title at the Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio, and another major at the PGA Championship in his next start.He played in 17 events on the US PGA Tour, finishing in the top 25 in all 17 with 12 top?10 finishes.He finished third in the final FedExCup standings and won the Arnold Palmer Award as the tours top money winner for the second time.I dont feel like I got off to a slow start to the season, he said.It was a solid start, quite a few top 10s, without really getting the wins.McIlroy said the turning point of his season came on the European Tour - when he came from seven shots adrift to win the European PGA Championship at Wentworth.He edged Irelands Shane Lowry by a stroke on Sunday, having announced his split from tennis star Caroline Wozniacki on the eve of the tournament.I think the catalyst for this year probably wasnt even on the PGA Tour, it was probably back on the European Tour in Wentworth when I won there, he said.To get that first win of the season is always important, and then to go on from there gave me the confidence going into the summer, and obviously I had a great stretch in the summer. Its been an incredible run, and just trying to keep it going as long as I can.McIlroy got the nod from his colleagues on the US Tour ahead of US Open champion Martin Kaymer of Germany, Masters champion Bubba Watson, FedEx Cup champion Billy Horschel and three-time winner Jimmy Walker.

SC to resume hearing of PM's disqualification case today

Posted:

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – A three-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Jawad S Khawaha, will resume hearing of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification case today (Thursday).During previous hearing, three different petitions filed in Supreme Court of Pakistan by Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Ishaq Khan Khakwani and Gauhar Nawaz Sindhu requesting the formation of a seven-member larger bench to hear the case of Prime Minister’s disqualification were rejected by the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Nasirul Mulk.The petitioners took a stance that the case is of national importance since some major legal and constitutional issues have been raised.The case should, therefore, be heard by a seven member bench instead of a three member bench. Ishaq Khakwani had also filed a petition for removing Justice Jawad S Khwaja from the bench. However, the Chief Justice of Pakistan has rejected the petitions.

Hajj rituals begin today

Posted:

MAKKAH (Online) - The annual pilgrimage will start today (Thursday), with the faithful assembling in the tent valley of Mina.Makkah Governor Prince Mishaal bin Abdullah says preparations are complete for Hajj. He urged all government and private agencies to mobilize their human and technical resources to make the annual event a big success.Prince Mishaal, who is chairman of the Central Hajj Committee has instructed security officers not to allow pilgrims without Hajj permits into the holy sites and impose sanctions on violators.Saudi Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs, Prince Mansour bin Miteb said the newly expanded Jamaraat bridge in Mina would help pilgrims perform the Satan-stoning ritual easily without risking being stampeded.

Ebola death toll passes 3,300: WHO

Posted:

GENEVA (AFP) - The death toll in the worlds worst-ever Ebola epidemic has now soared past 3,300, with the virus killing almost half of the more than 7,000 people it has infected, according to World Health Organization figures released Wednesday.In its latest update, the UN health agency said a total of 7,178 people had been infected across five west African countries and that of those 3,338 had died.At the weekend, the UN health agency said a total of 6,574 people had been infected and that of those 3,091 had died.WHO has repeatedly stressed its data changes do not mean that the individuals have died or been infected in the days between updates, but rather that they reflect the belated count as the epidemic rages.Separately, health officials in the United States have announced the countrys first case of Ebola in a man who was infected in Liberia and travelled to Texas. He is in a serious but stable condition. Here are the latest WHO numbers:In Guinea, where the outbreak began late last year, Ebola had infected 1,157 people, killing 710 of them. In Liberia, which has been hit the hardest by the outbreak, 3,696 people had been infected with Ebola and 1,998 of them had died.In Sierra Leone, Ebola had meanwhile infected 2,304 people and killed 622 of them. Nigeria had recorded 20 cases, including eight deaths, since Ebola first arrived in the country with a Liberian finance ministry official, who died in Lagos on July 25.The last case confirmed in the country was on September 5.Senegals only confirmed Ebola case -- a Guinean student who crossed the border just before it was closed on August 21 -- has recovered, but the country will not be declared free of the virus until 42 days after the case was recorded.Healthcare workers, already in very short supply in the impoverished countries hardest-hit by the outbreak, have paid an especially heavy price. As of September 28, 377 of them had been infected across four west African countries and 216 had died.Guinea: 67 healthcare workers infected, 35 of whom have died.Liberia: 185 healthcare workers infected, 95 of whom have died.Sierra Leone: 114 healthcare workers infected, 81 of whom have died.Nigeria: 11 healthcare workers infected, five of whom have died.The Democratic Republic of Congo has meanwhile been hit by a separate Ebola outbreak. Its data, which ran up to September 28, showed that the disease had killed 42 people out of the 70 infected. Of those infected and killed, eight were healthcare workers.There are five known distinct species of Ebola and the outbreak raging in west Africa stems from the Zaire species -- the deadliest of the lot.That species caused the worlds first known Ebola outbreak in 1976 in Zaire, now known as DR Congo, which until now was the deadliest on record, with 280 deaths.

'Man in the Moon' was born from lava - scientists

Posted:

PARIS (AFP) - A dark lunar basin that, seen from Earth, produces the Man in the Moon effect, was created by an outpouring of lava and not an asteroid strike, astronomers said Wednesday.Known as the Oceanus Procellarum -- the ocean of storms as classical skygazers dubbed it -- the vast basin measures nearly 3,000 kilometres (1,900 mile) across.Until now, the main theory to explain this extraordinary feature was that it was born when a massive space rock smashed into the Moon in its infancy.But a study published in the journal Nature offers evidence that a volcanic outpouring created the blotch that covers roughly a fifth of the visible side of the Moon.Analysing data from a NASA mission, astronomers found remnants of ancient rifts in the Moons crust that were once a magma plumbing system, according to the paper.This system flooded the region with lava between three and four billion years ago, which then solidified to create the tell-tale dark basalt rock visible from Earth today.The rifts became discernible thanks to a 2012 mission called GRAIL, entailing two probes chasing each other as they swung around the Moon. As the leading spacecraft passed over an area with a thinner or thicker crust, the gravitational pull on it changed -- and this briefly altered its distance form the chasing probe. By measuring the minute accordion movement between the two probes, scientists were able to map differences in the Moons crust.The map showed that the rim of the Procellarum region is a polygon shape, with edges that join at 120-degree angles.This is the signature of contraction by molten material that has cooled and crystallised, whereas the impact of an asteroid whack would have created a circular or elliptical crater, the scientists believe.Still unclear, though, is why the upwelling of lava occurred, said Maria Zuber, a professor of geophysics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).How such a plume arose remains a mystery, she said.It could be radioactive decay of heat-producing elements in the deep interior. Or, conceivably, a very early large impact triggered the plume. But in the latter case, all evidence for such an impact has been completely erased.

Oil prices extend losses despite US stockpiles drop

Posted:

NEW YORK (AFP) - Oil prices on Wednesday extended the prior days steep losses despite an unexpected drop in US crude stockpiles, amid persistent worries about ample supplies.US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for November fell by 51 cents, closing at $90.73 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.Brent North Sea crude for delivery in November also lost 51 cents at $94.16 a barrel in London, its lowest close since June 29, 2012.For the second day in a row, the oil market started by pushing higher and then collapsed at the end of the day, said Gene McGillian at Tradition Energy.It looks like oil hasnt found its bottom yet, he said, following a sharp fall in WTI and Brent since mid-June.On Tuesday oil prices plunged, with WTI dropping to a 22-month low and Brent sinking to a level last seen in late June 2012.Economic conditions in Europe and Asia -- specifically China -- and supplies around the world continue to weigh on the market, McGillian said.The worries overshadowed the US Department of Energys weekly report Wednesday that showed US reserves of commercial crude dropped by 1.4 million barrels last week, confounding analyst expectations of a rise of 900,000. A drop in supplies can indicate stronger demand in the worlds largest crude consumer.The dollar reached six-year highs against the yen and two-year peaks versus the euro. A stronger dollar makes dollar-priced oil more expensive for buyers using weaker currencies, tending to dampen demand.

Anderson says England always had faith in Cook

Posted:

LONDON (AFP) - Englands players were convinced Alastair Cook was always going to captain them at next years World Cup, senior paceman James Anderson said Wednesday.During the course of the recent English season Cook faced calls to be replaced as both Test and one-day captain after the opener struggled for runs in both formats against 50-over world champions India.However, he remained Test skipper and last week Cook was also confirmed as captain for the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, with Englands tour programme starting with the upcoming one-day series in Sri Lanka. For us it was never a question really, it was all speculation with the captaincy, Anderson, speaking at the Professional Cricketers Association awards ceremony in London, said.From the players point of view we never thought anyone else was going to lead us to that World Cup, we never doubted.For him I think hes had more low points than most this summer, the amount of chat that was going on about his captaincy in the Test matches then the one-dayers.So to show the character he has to come through those, it speaks a lot about the guy.It was a huge test of character: its a credit to himself the way hes handled it all.Im sure he had a lot of doubts in his mind of whether he should have captained the Test team or the one day team.But all I can say is from a players point of view there was never any doubt over who should be captain.England lost both Test and one-day series with Sri Lanka on home soil before recovering from 1-0 down to beat India 3-1 in a five-match Test series, only to lose the one-day international campaign by the same margin.England have lost five of their last six ODI series and few outside the camp expect them to win the World Cup but Anderson said: The two series weve got, in Sri Lanka and then against Australia and India, it should give us a good chance of preparing well for the World Cup.Its an exciting prospect for any player, so all the players are going to do their utmost to get in the World Cup squad.There were quite a few distractions throughout the summer, and the way we dealt with it, especially going one-nil down to India then coming back, it was a huge response for us.The one day series as it was, with questions being asked about the captaincy, as players we just got on with it.Things like that are down to the selection panel not the media.Were really excited about the winter and hopefully we can put in a good show.

GM unleashes ambitious plan of action

Posted:

NEW YORK, Oct 01, 2014 (AFP) - General Motors Wednesday outlined an ambitious plan for returning its Europe division to profitability, boosting profit margins in North America and growing sales in China, the worlds largest auto market.GM, in an investors and analysts conference, pledged to drive its European unit into the green in 2016 and to increase profit margins in its core North American market to 10.0 percent in 2016, from 7.8 percent in 2013.The largest US automaker also vowed to grow its luxury Cadillac line and realize savings throughout the company with lower administrative spending and supply chain efficiences.The goal is to make GM the most valued automotive company, chief executive Mary Barra told investors and analysts. Barra also spoke of a culture to win defined by candor and accountability at all levels.Barra largely steered clear of the ignition-switch scandal that caused at least 23 fatalities, according to the latest estimate of independent compensation fund chief Kenneth Feinberg.The company is under investigation by Congress, regulators and the Justice Department over why it waited about 11 years after first uncovering the ignition-switch problem to start recalling some 2.6 million cars in February.Barra, who took the helm of the company in January, said GM has worked at keeping the customer at the center of everything we do as we focused on the recalls.GM has recalled more than 29 million vehicles for a number of problems in the first nine months of the year.Barra said GM expects to achieve overall pre-tax profit margins of between 9.0-10.0 percent by the early 2020s, a target depending in part on better results in North America, which accounted for about 33 percent of GM vehicle sales in 2013.In North America, GM has high hopes for next-generation versions of the Chevrolet Cruze and Malibu, as well as for new entrants in its luxury Cadillac division and a midsize truck, among others.In Europe, GM plans to trim $100 million in fixed costs and save an additional $700 million in lower expenses. The US giant will also introduce new models such as the Opel Corsa and Astra, estimated to add $300 million in product-launch costs.GM Europe suffered an operating loss of $844 million in 2013, the only region to record a loss in pre-tax profits.Targeting Chinese growth==========================China remains at the center of GMs growth plan, with the automaker targeting sales of 30.7 million in 2018, up from 24.3 million in 2014. The country represented more than one-third of GMs auto sales in 2013.China has accounted for 72 percent of all auto industry growth over the last 15 years and GM sees the country as a market that is rapidly maturing, said GM president Dan Amman.GM plans to launch a financing arm in China in 2015 in part to take advantage of a growing market of second-time auto buyers, to introduce nine new sport utility vehicles and to make a big push with its luxury Cadillac line, Amman said.GM said it planned to return excess cash flow to stockholders through strong and growing dividends based on sustained improvements in the companys underlying performance. The company offered no specifics for doing so.GM also avoided details on South America, saying operations in the region continue to improve. The region has been challenged by a currency devaluation in Venezuela and slowing economic growth in Brazil.Separately, GM announced that September auto sales rose 19 percent compared with a year ago to 223,437, slightly below analyst projections.GM shares rose 1.7 percent to $32.49.

Ten killed in Ukraine's Donetsk on first day of school

Posted:

Donetsk (Ukraine) (AFP) - Ukraines largest rebel-controlled city of Donetsk was shaken by violence Wednesday as 10 people were killed, some of them teachers and parents showing up for the first day of school.Terrified children were forced to shelter in the basement as the shelling yielded the highest single civilian toll since a tenuous ceasefire was struck between Kiev and pro-Russian separatists last month.Clashes have raged for days at several flashpoints around the region, with both sides blaming the other for violating the agreement that commits them to withdrawing weapons and establishing a buffer zone.The United States has decried the violence while the European Union decided Tuesday to keep Russian sanctions in place, maintaining pressure on Moscow in the worst East-West standoff since the Cold War.The pro-Kiev regional government of Donetsk based in the government-controlled city of Mariupol accused pro-Russian separatists from the Donetsk Peoples Republic of shelling the school.A classroom is damaged school in Donetsk, Ukraine, on October 1, 2014, after a shell exploded nearby Four adults were killed, it said in a statement. Six more died when another shell struck a minibus at a bus stop about 500 metres from the school.I was going to open the doors to let passengers in and out when it happened, the driver of the vehicle, Mikhail Drobotun, told AFP as he sat on a gurney in a local clinic where dozens of the injured were being treated as artillery boomed in the background.I was injured in the leg, someone pulled me out, he said. It hit the back of the bus.AFP correspondents saw pools of blood at the deserted two-storey school, which is located about four kilometres away from the government-held Donetsk airport in an area that is frequently hit by shelling.A source in Donetsk city hall told AFP that the strike happened right after the schools 70 pupils lined up for an assembly to mark the first day of class -- held nationally on September 1 but pushed back by rebel authorities because of the conflict.A woman injured at a bus station during a shelling cries after being taken to hospital in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine on October 1, 2014 Official rebel website DNR Today blamed the attack on Ukrainian artillery, claiming rebels do not possess the relevant weaponry and saying two security guards at the school were among the victims.Russian media and separatist websites showed footage of rebels launching attacks from positions in apartment buildings near the airport.Amnesty International in a statement urged Ukrainian and rebel forces to immediately end indiscriminate attacks in residential areas, adding that both sides shared the blame for endangering civilians.- Border patrols start -The United States earlier decried the intensifying violence in eastern Ukraine and called on Russia and the rebels to hold fire.We call on Russia and the separatists it backs to immediately end these attacks and on Moscow to withdraw its troops, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.A pro-Russian separatist soldier checks a burnt out bus after a shell exploded near a bus stop in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine on October 1, 2014 Jens Stoltenberg, the new NATO chief who took office Wednesday, argued in his opening remarks that Russia maintains its ability to destabilise Ukraine and remains in breach of international law.A delegation of about 70 Russian officers have however been working with Kiev since the weekend as part of a monitoring group.Military spokesman Andriy Lysenko said that monitors, comprised of representatives from the Russian and Ukrainian militaries as well as the Organisation for the Security and Cooperation in Europe, have begun to patrol regions most frequently hit by ceasefire violations.Today the monitoring mission has begun work. They have begun patrols, he said of several groups consisting of six Russian officers, six Ukrainians and three to four representatives of the OSCE.- Election season kicks off -While the deaths lifted the toll to 68 since the truce deal was struck on September 5, Ukraine on Wednesday officially started its election season ahead of snap parliamentary polls on October 26.Ukraines central election commission said that nearly 3,500 candidates had registered for the election called last month by President Petro Poroshenko, more than a third of them as independents.Poroshenko is also keen on holding the vote in the separatist regions, he stressed to Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann who was in Kiev on a one-day visit.All of the points of the peace plan must be respected, including... holding elections on the territory of certain districts of Donetsk and Lugansk regions on December 7, he said after the talks.However the separatists of Lugansk and Donetsk have vowed to boycott the polls and hold a vote of their own on November 2 for the regional leaders and legislative bodies.

Jihadists advance near Syria's Ain al-Arab

Posted:

Beirut (AFP) - Islamic State (IS) group fighters have advanced further towards the Syrian Kurdish town of Ain al-Arab, a monitoring group warned early Thursday, as local fighters retreated from one of the areas fronts.The IS have advanced southeast of Kobane and on the western front, from which the Kurdish Popular Defence Committees (YPG) have now retreated, said Syrian Observatory for Human Rights director Rami Abdel Rahman, using the Kurdish name Kobane to refer to the town.There are real fears that the IS may be able to advance into the town of Kobane itself very soon, Abdel Rahman warned.The advances came hours after US-led forces carried out at least five strikes against IS positions south and southeast of the town, which the jihadists have been battling to take for more than two weeks, the Observatory said.At least eight jihadists were killed in a strike on an IS tank east of the town on Wednesday, said the Britain-based Observatory, which relies on a wide network of sources inside Syria for its reports.Kurdish fighters on the front lines saw the bodies literally being thrown into the air by the force of the blast, said Abdel Rahman.Despite the air strikes, the jihadists continued to shell the town on the Turkish border from positions as little as three kilometres (two miles) away.The fighting in the past 24 hours has been the fiercest since the IS began its offensive a fortnight ago, said Abdel Rahman.There are real fears for the Kurds capacity to resist, as the IS are using tanks and other heavy weaponry in their attack, he added.Abdel Rahman said the vastly outgunned Kurdish fighters were forced by the jihadists advance to retreat from the fight on the western outskirts of Kobane, in order to defend the edges of the town itself.An image grab taken from a video released by Aamaq News, a Youtube channel that posts videos from areas under the Islamic State groups control, on September 23, 2014, purportedly shows an IS militant near the Syrian Kurdish town of Ain al-Arab Kurdish security forces inside Kobane are preparing themselves for street battles that would break out should the jihadists break the local fighters last remaining line of defence, said Abdel Rahman.Hundreds of poorly equipped Kurdish fighters are facing thousands of jihadists armed with tanks, heavy artillery and 220mm multiple rocket launchers.Local Kurdish leader Anwar Muslim acknowledged the balance of forces favoured the jihadists.IS have brought in the weapons they seized from Mosul (Iraqs second city) and Tabqa airbase (in Syrias Raqa province), he said.IS seized large stocks of heavy weaponry from fleeing Iraqi troops when they captured Mosul in June. They took more when they overran the Syrian army garrison at Tabqa in late August.Kurdish leaders have appealed to the US-led coalition battling IS to provide air support to the towns defenders.We are trying to push them (the jihadists) back with the help of the coalitions strikes. They are our common enemy, said Muslim.The Observatory had earlier reported that at least 10 people had been executed by the group on Tuesday, including a civilian and three Kurdish female fighters, who were beheaded.A Kurdish male fighter was beheaded along with the women, and another five fighters were also executed in a separate incident in the area, the Observatory said.The jihadist offensive has sparked an exodus of at least 160,000 mainly Kurdish refugees into Turkey.There are still thousands of civilians inside the town, said the Observatorys Abdel Rahman.Ain al-Arab would be a key prize for IS, giving it unbroken control of a long stretch of the Syrian-Turkish border.

US hunts contacts of seriously ill Ebola patient

Posted:

Dallas (AFP) - US health officials scoured the Dallas area Wednesday for people -- including schoolchildren -- who came in contact with a Liberian man who was diagnosed with Ebola, as it emerged a hospital mix-up saw him initially turned away.More people may have been exposed to the contagious man after he first sought treatment on September 25 because an apparent miscommunication among staff resulted in his release back into the community for several days, Texas hospital officials admitted.Ebola is spread through close contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, and can only be transmitted when a patient is showing symptoms like fever, aches, bleeding, vomiting or diarrhea.The man -- the first person to be diagnosed with Ebola on US soil -- flew from Liberia, the hardest-hit nation in West Africas deadly Ebola outbreak, and arrived in Texas on September 20 to visit family. He fell ill on September 24.He went to the hospital the next day but was sent home because the medical team felt clinically it was a low-grade common viral disease, said Mark Lester, executive vice president of Texas Health Resources.Texas Govenor Rick Perry answers questions related to the first confirmed case of the Ebola virus at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas on October 1, 2014 in Dallas, Texas He volunteered that he had traveled from Africa in response to the nurse operating the checklist and asking that question, Lester added.Regretfully, that information was not fully communicated throughout the full team.A hospital statement issued later in the day said his initial symptoms on September 25 were low-grade fever and abdominal pain, and that his condition did not warrant admission.The patient is currently in serious but stable condition.He came in contact with schoolchildren before he returned via ambulance to the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas on September 28, and was placed in strict isolation.I know that parents are being extremely concerned about that development, Texas Governor Rick Perry said.These children have been identified and they are being monitored and the disease cannot be transmitted before having any symptoms.The Emmett J. Conrad High School in Dallas wrote to tell parents that a student there may have had contact with the unnamed Ebola patient, but stressed the child was not showing any symptoms.There is nothing to suggest that the disease was spread to others, the school said.- Symptoms of infection -The incubation period for Ebola is between two and 21 days. Patients are not contagious until they start to have symptoms. Ebola can lead to massive bleeding and fatal organ failure.US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Tom Frieden shows an awareness poster on Ebola on August 7, 2014 A 10-member team of experts from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has landed in Texas to assist the investigation.While health experts say the public should not panic -- since Ebola is spread not through the air but only through close contact with bodily fluids -- medical personnel are on the lookout for more cases of Ebola on US soil.Zachary Thompson, the director of Dallas County Health and Human Services, told local media that there may be another case that is a close associate with this particular patient.Three crew members who worked in the ambulance that transported the patient have tested negative, but they will be monitored for 21 days, the City Of Dallas said on Twitter.Anthony Fauci, the head of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease, said the man should have been identified as a suspected Ebola case the first time he sought care.If the person said, Well, I just came back from Liberia, that would have been an enormous red flag for anybody, given the publicity that we have, Fauci told CNN.The 10,000-strong Liberian community in the Dallas area is concerned about the arrival of Ebola on US soil but remains confident in the medical authorities, said Alben Tarty, a spokesman for the Liberian Community Association of Dallas Fort Worth.- Worldwide toll jumps -As US officials scrambled to track down people, the worldwide death toll from Ebola jumped higher, to 3,338 dead and 7,178 infected since the beginning of the year, the World Health Organization said.Meanwhile, the United Nations announced its first suspected victim of Ebola, a Liberian man who worked for the UN mission in Liberia and died of a probable but unconfirmed infection last week.In response to the fast-moving outbreak, the World Bank boosted its aid to the campaign by adding $170 million toward expanding the health-care workforce and buying needed supplies for care and treatment.The new aid took to $400 million the amount the bank has put toward the fight against the spread of Ebola, which has swept quickly through Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.

Thousands swarm HK leader's office as calls grow to quit

Posted:

Hong Kong (AFP) - Thousands of Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters massed to block entry to the offices of their citys embattled leader early Thursday in an attempt to force a dialogue, as calls for his resignation grew louder.More than 3,000 protesters gathered outside Leung Chun-yings office in the early hours, chanting for the chief executive -- seen by critics as a Beijing stooge -- to step down, while police equipped with riot helmets and shields stood firm behind barricades.Updated map of the protests in Hong Kong, adding Tsim Sha Tsui and including the site of the National Day flag-raising ceremony on Wednesday Were trying to surround the entire government complex and wait for CY (Leung) to come back to work on Friday (after Thursdays public holiday), protester Thomas Choi told AFP.We want to talk to him face to face.Four days of peaceful demonstrations have seen tens of thousands of people take over key districts and highways in Hong Kong as they call on Beijing to grant free elections to the semi-autonomous city.On Wednesday night, one of the student leaders organising the protests threatened to step up the action -- including a possible attempt to occupy government offices -- if Leung did not resign by Thursday.We will consider having different operating actions in future days, including occupying other places like important government offices, said Agnes Chow of student movement Scholarism.A pro-democracy demonstrator holds a placard depicting Hong Kong chief executive Leung Chun-ying as Hitler outside a ceremony marking Chinas 65th National Day in Hong Kong on October 1, 2014 Students have been at the forefront of the demonstrations but others have expanded their ranks since riot police tear-gassed protesters on Sunday night, in chaotic scenes that triggered an outpouring of support.With Wednesday and Thursday both public holidays in Hong Kong, many workers have been free to swell the masses in the streets.In a sign of Beijings growing unease, a local tourism leader said Chinese travel agents were reporting that group visits to the city had been suspended.Im hearing this from a lot of travel agents in China, Joseph Tung, executive director of the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong, told AFP, stressing that the move had not been confirmed by Beijing.October 1-7 is known as Golden Week in mainland China, a key shopping holiday that sees many travel to the southern Chinese city.- We need to escalate -A couple take wedding photogtaphs in front of pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong on October 1, 2014 The standoff at Leungs offices came after vast crowds poured onto the streets for a fourth sweltering night.There was a mixed response to the call to ramp up the action.We need to escalate the movement, said 23-year-old student Jason Chan. So many people have come out every day and the government hasnt responded to us. If we dont take things to the next level, this movement is pointless.But many others were reluctant to take any action that could prompt further clashes with the police.I think we should keep this a peaceful revolution, said costume designer Janice Pang.Hong Kong people may not support us if we do something more extreme.Hong Kong chief executive Leung Chun-ying (C) attends a flag-raising ceremony to mark the 65th anniversary of the founding of Communist China, alongside the head of Beijings liaison office in Hong Kong Zhang Xiaoming (L), on October 1, 2014 The protesters are furious at the central governments refusal to allow free elections for the citys next leader in 2017, insisting that only two or three candidates vetted by a pro-Beijing committee will be permitted to stand.They call this fake democracy and have two demands -- that Leung step down and that Beijing reverse its decision.In a movement being dubbed the umbrella revolution -- a nod to the umbrellas they have used to protect themselves against tear gas, the sun and torrential downpours alike -- the protesters have brought key parts of the city to a standstill, heavily disrupting the transport network and shutting down businesses.

US 'deeply concerned' about Jerusalem settlement plan

Posted:

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President Barack Obama told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday of Washingtons deep concerns over an Israeli plan to build 2,600 new settler homes in east Jerusalem.Obama raised the development in face-to-face talks in the Oval Office, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said.The United States is deeply concerned by reports the Israeli government has moved forward with planning for settlements in a sensitive area of east Jerusalem, Earnest said.Earnest warned that Israel would send a very troubling message by following through with the project.In noticeably blunt language, Earnest said that the step was contrary to Israels stated goal of negotiating a permanent final status agreement with the Palestinians. This development will only draw condemnation from the international community, (and) distance Israel from even its closest allies, Earnest said, adding that it would also poison the atmosphere not only with the Palestinians but with the very Arab governments with which Netanyahu has said he wants to build relations.Earlier, a watchdog group said Israel is to press ahead with the construction of 2,610 settler homes in annexed east Jerusalem.The housing units, which have been slated for construction since 2012 in the neighborhood of Givat Hamatos, were given final approval last week, Peace Now said in a statement.Hagit Ofran, spokeswoman for the Israeli non-governmental group, told AFP the government could now publish tenders for the project, but that it would be months before building actually began.
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)